This invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and, more particularly, to electrical connectors for coupling to a continuous wire extending through the connector and interfacing multiple plug-in components to the wire.
Recent advances in illumination technology have resulted in the prolific use of distributed lighting assemblies in many applications. Distributed lighting assemblies are desirable, for example, for interior and exterior illumination of a vehicle, for decorative, accent, and safety lighting in business, homes, and outdoor illumination of sidewalks, swimming pools, steps, and even for directional and advertisement signage.
Conventional distributed light assemblies include a high intensity light source and a plurality of light transmission conduits (e.g., fiber optic cables, light pipes, and the like) for illuminating locations remote from the light source. A plurality of light sources (e.g., incandescent bulbs, halogen lamps, and the like) have been employed with an equal plurality of light transmission members to produce distributed lighting effects. It is difficult, however, to produce even lighting from the multiple light sources, and the assemblies are not as reliable as desired. Tubular light sources (e.g., neon, fluorescent, and the like) have been utilized to produce more even lighting, but are notably disadvantaged as requiring high voltage power supply converters to operate the tubes. Additionally, tubular light sources have poor impact resistance, rendering them unsuitable for many applications.
Recent technological advances in low voltage light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), now present low voltage light sources as viable candidates as light sources for distributed lighting assemblies. Low voltage light sources operate at a small fraction of the electrical power of conventionally used light sources and are an attractive option for use in distributed lighting assemblies due to generally lower cost and higher efficiency than conventionally used light sources. Thus far, however, obtaining a reliable and even light output from low voltage light sources in a distributed lighting assembly has proven difficult.
In certain lighting applications, it is desirable to run a primary power wire, sometimes referred to as a “run wire” and to connect or tap into the run wire at various points to power peripheral devices or components, such as low voltage lighting devices having LEDs. Known connectors for such purposes, are however, disadvantaged in several aspects.
Some known wire tap connectors require that the primary wire be cut or stripped of insulation to secure the wire conductors to the connector. Cutting and/or stripping of the primary wire can be time consuming, and in some installations can be challenging, especially when the primary wire is a dual conductor wire having separate conductors within an outer insulating jacket. Increased time or complexity in installing to the wire tap connectors translates into increased installation costs, and a lower cost installation is desired.
Further, in some connectors, the peripheral devices (e.g., low voltage lighting devices) must be separately connected or terminated to the wire tap connector. With known wire tap connectors, one wire tap connector is required for each device connected to the primary run wire. Particularly when a large number of peripheral devices are to be installed, or when more than one peripheral device is desired in the same general area, separately installing wire tap connectors for each peripheral device can be unnecessarily time consuming and difficult, and in other cases it can be impossible to achieve proper spacing of the peripheral devices.